sadbhavana cycle rally 2023

Our 2023 Sadbhavana Bicycle Yatra (Goodwill Bicycle Rally) has set off from Kolkata and our cyclists will be covering over 1,000km by bicycle en route to their final destination, Noakhali in Bangladesh. Noakali is where, in 1946, Gandhi spent four months on his mission to restore peace and communal harmony and the riders should reach there by 28 September when they will join a youth camp taking place at the Gandhi Ashram. 

This year's cycle follows on from our 2021 Sadbhavana Bicycle Yatra which  raised awareness about the contributions, thoughts and the ideas of nation-building both fathers of India and Bangladesh, Gandhi and Bangbandhu inspire, while also celebrating the 75th and 50th anniversaries of the Independence of the countries. The 2,070km bicycle ride started in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra and ended in Noakhali, Bangladesh on 26 November.

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Considering the growing social divisions and hatreds of present times, our youth cyclists followed in Gandhi’s footsteps, encouraging goodwill to bridge the hearts of people from all the regions and states they passed through and experiencing their different geographies, religions, traditions, languages, social customs and values. They also learned about the great history, social progress and culture of Bangladesh while instilling values such as nationalism, democracy, secularism, non-violence, equality and humanity along the way. Messages from the freedom movements of India and Bangladesh were also shared with the younger generations in both countries. This was done through street plays, songs of social harmony, selected bhajans, distribution of literature and displays of cultural values.

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The Sadbhavana Cycle Yatra concluded at Noakhali, Bangladesh on 29 September with an International Peace Camp running until 2 October.